Oswegonians, SUNY students, the ORA and the City of Oswego DPW organized a “Playground Restoration” in which the City of Oswego did  repairs and supplied stains and tools for the large wooden Playground located on W 3rd Street between W Seneca and W Cayuga Streets. This Playground is used by hundreds of children each week.  Local neighbors also volunteered and donated bottled water and snacks for the workers. A large number of volunteers came from SUNY Oswego. Longtime residents and  SUNY Oswego students, individually, and in small groups and entire fraternities and sororities showed up to work. By the end of the day 96 people have volunteered their time and talents. They re-stained the wood, weeded the walk ways and even removed a trailer full of sod that had over grown the children’s swing area. 

 

Accordingto ORA Resident Leader and Project Coordinator Steve Phillips, "You often hear complaints about the youth of today; they love luxury, are ill-mannered, ignore authority, have a poor work ethic, lack motivation and no respect for others… Well the youth of today, October 5, 2013, over 90 strong, who volunteered and showed up to give the Playground in Franklin Square/West End Park a Facelift were NONE of the above…as a matter of fact they were just the opposite. They got down and got dirty, were so well mannered, followed instructions, worked hard and when they finished one duty ask what next they could do."

 

Longtime residents and SUNY Oswego volunteers did an OUTSTANDING JOB! Special thanks to DPW Commissioner Mike Smith and DPW Employee Jim who donated their time and talents and worked alongside the residents and students all day long and to 1st Ward Councilor Fran Enwright and his wife Diane who also worked all day side-by-side with longtime residents and students"

 

The event was a huge success and the playground is re-newed, ready to handle hundreds more children every week for years to come.